Child of Death
by 7AnonymousPython7
Summary: The Giant War is over, and Nico di Angelo has kept his promise. He has left camp, deciding to never go back. His father Hades is far from supportive about his homosexuality, and Nico feels slightly lonely. One day, he meets a girl who reminds him of his old life with her stunning golden eyes. It's the start of a beautiful friendship that gets Nico to open up like never before.
1. Lonely

**A/N: Heya people! My friend Anjana (remember her? From my first story?) and I wrote this story together. Anjana's got an account on too, but after an intense rock-paper-scissor battle, I'm keeping it on my profile. ;) **

**Disclaimer: Anjana and I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or Heroes of Olympus, or Nico di Angelo, or Hades (thankfully) or Persephone. Rick Riordan does. If I owned PJO and HoO, then Nico wouldn't have such a crappy life. Anjana says that he would, since I'm evil, but I maintain that I do not enjoy torturing people/characters.**

**Enjoy!**

It had been 2 years since the Giant War. 1 years and 9 months, to be exact.

Nico di Angelo had left as soon as the war was over. He didn't stay for the victory celebrations. Didn't stay to say good bye to anyone. Just shadow travelled out of there.

He lives alone in a small apartment in New York now. Somehow, even after leaving Camp Half-Blood, he couldn't bear to leave New York. He needs that small connection to the boy he loves. It's nowhere near Percy Jackson's house, so that's okay.

He's left the life he had behind. His _old_ life. Started a new life, alone.

It gets horribly lonely sometimes. But hey, he's the son of Hades. Being lonely is what he does best. Being lonely and depressed.

He doesn't get called by his father, Hades, anymore. Hades had found out about his stupid crush on Percy from the King of Jerks himself, Cupid.

Nico still cringes, remembering the day.

_Flashback_

"_Nico di Angelo!" Hades bellowed. "What is the meaning of this?"_

_Nico winced. He'd been summoned by his father, and Hades had immediately started yelling at him._

"_What… what do you mean, father? I don't…"_

"_You know perfectly well what I'm talking about. Cupid told me…"_

_Nico flinched. He knew what was coming._

"… _about your crush on that damned son of Poseidon!"_

"_Father, I'm sorry. I can't…"_

"_You stupid brat! It's bad enough that you're a freak. And Poseidon's son! How could you shame me like this?"_

_Nico hung his head. His father was right. He was a freak._

"_I thought I could trust you. You're weak and foolish, but I thought that with a few years of training you'd be fine. But now…"_

"_I can't help it!" Nico burst out. "Percy's the most perfect boy I've ever met!"_

"_How dare you!" Hades grabbed Nico by his neck, lifting him up. Nico writhed in mid-air, clawing at his father's fingers as his air supply was cut off. Hades flung Nico so that the 15 year old demigod crashed into the wall behind him._

"_Father please, I'm sorry. I… really, I promise I won't…"_

"_Won't what?" Hades asked, advancing on his son, who lay sprawled on the floor at his feet._

"_I… I don't know." Nico cried. He could feel the blood seeping out of a wound on his head, where he'd hit the wall. But the pain inside him was worse._

_Hades kicked Nico, causing the demigod to curl up, whimpering in pain._

"_You weakling." Hades spat. "You're not my son."_

_End flashback_

It hurt. Hades was the only family Nico had left, since his mother and Bianca had died, and he'd left Hazel behind in his old life. Hades hadn't been the best father, but he was still Nico's father.

Or he used to be. What kind of father does that to their kid?

Ironically, it was Persephone who had supported him after that. Nico had blacked out from the pain and loss of blood, and woken up to find himself in his room, being fed ambrosia by his step-mother. Persephone said that it was okay, that she was there for him. Nico knew that it _wasn't_ okay, but he realized that Persephone might not be a total bitch after all.

Anyways, he's left all that behind. Persephone still iris messages him sometimes, but apart from that, he doesn't speak to anyone.

He actually goes to school. He's 17 now, and Persephone insisted that he needed to get an education. It had been a long argument, but in the end, he gave in. He did owe Persephone, and she was nice to him now.

He doesn't have any friends at school. He's the invisible kid. No one knows him, he doesn't know anyone. Blending into the shadows is easy, so he can learn whatever shit they teach at school and still not have a repetition of his old life.

He's got his whole life worked out. Live alone until some monster kills him. Lovely.

And this plan would have worked, if he hadn't met her.

**A/N: So… how was it? Too mean to Nico? I know, Hades is a bit OOC, but that's the way I needed him for this chapter.**

**Review, please! Even if you want to flame me, I don't mind. Just tell me what you think.**


	2. Golden eyes

**A/N: Hey, it's Anjana here. It's so unfair that Akela gets to put this story on her profile. I mean, she's already got some stories there, while mine is empty. Grrrr.**

**But still, here's another chapter.**

It was a regular Saturday. Nico had gone out to get some cup noodles, because he was kind of broke, and cup noodles was all he could afford.

He was passing by the park, when he saw her.

She was a demigod, no doubt. He could sense that easily. But that wasn't what made him notice her.

It wasn't the fact that she was really beautiful, although she was, with straight, waist length black hair, high cheekbones and smooth, chocolate colored skin.

It was her eyes. They were golden. Just like Hazel's. They brought back memories of when his sister had hugged him, smiled at him, laughed with him. Gods, he missed Hazel so much. Did she miss him? Did she think about him?

Nico shook those thoughts out of his head. That's your old life, he reminded himself. He would have just moved on, but at that second, the girl with Hazel's eyes turned and looked at him. And her eyes hit him like a ton of bricks.

They looked shattered, broken, sad. Like the girl had nowhere to go. Like she didn't belong anywhere. Nico knew that look. He saw it whenever he looked in a mirror.

Without thinking, he walked over to her.

She gave him a small smile. "Hey."

Nico got straight to the point. "You're a demigod, right?"

"Yeah."

"Come on then." He said, and started walking back towards his apartment.

The girl caught his shoulder. "Wait!"

He spun around. The girl dropped her hand. "What are you doing?"

What was he doing? Nico didn't know himself. "It's dangerous for a lone half-blood."

"And your point is?"

"I'm taking you to my house."

"I don't even know you."

Good point. "I'm Nico di Angelo. Son of… Hades" Not after what happened, he thought, but kept it to himself.

"Riya Favio, daughter of Thanatos. But still, why should I trust you?"

Nico smiled his signature creepy smile. "I should hope you won't trust me. I'm not the most trusting person myself."

"Then why…"

Just then, their conversation was cut off by the arrival of a hell hound. It leapt at them. Nico pulled out his Stygian Iron sword and slashed at it, making it explode into dust.

Their situation got bad when a whole pack of hellhound appeared, surrounding them, advancing slowly.

"The whole of New York, and all these hell hounds have to pick us!" Riya exclaimed.

"Probably sent by my father." Nico said, gritting his teeth.

"Your father? Hades? Why?" she asked, pulling out a Stygian Iron knife.

Nico winced. "Long story. We had a… very one-sided fight."

"Um, hope you don't mind me asking, but why?"

Nico glanced sideways at Riya.

"Tell you later, maybe. Now let's get out of here."

He grabbed her wrist, commanding the shadows to close around them. Seconds later, they landed in Nico's bedroom.

Riya yanked her hand out of Nico's. "Really? After all this, I'd say you're trying to murder me or something."

Nico laughed. "I just saved your life."

"My life was put into danger because of you, apparently." She retorted.

"True." Nico said, sitting down on his bed.

"True? That's all you can say? I'd like an explanation, please. What happened with your father, and why am I sitting in your room. And actually, you didn't save my life. I could have shadow travelled myself. So explain." She said in one breath.

"Okay. Calm down." Nico muttered.

"Oh, I'm calm. Right now. But I'll be freaking out soon, you better start talking now."

"Well, it's kind of like this. Your eyes, they reminded me of someone. My sister Hazel. And then, when you looked at me, I saw that look in your eyes, like you had nowhere to go, so… Wow. That was cheesy. I didn't mean…"

"Yeah, I get it." Riya said. "What about Hades?"

"Um, can we not go into that? I don't tell my secrets to people I don't trust."

"Nico, considering that I'm in your room, holding a dagger while your sword is two feet away from you on the floor and I can kill you any second, I'll say you trust me."

Nico scowled. "You can't kill me any second."

Riya's knife whizzed past Nico, missing his ear by an inch.

"You were saying?" Riya smirked.

"So now you are trying to kill me."

"Hey, you're the one who brought me here."

"Oh fine. I'll tell you, if you're _so_ insistent." Nico grumbled.

"Yeah, that would be nice. Sometime today, please."

"Gee, you're impatient. Okay, it all happened because, well…" Nico took a deep breath. I hope you'll be happy, Jason, he thought.

"Yes?" Riya said, tapping her foot.

"I'm gay." Nico blurted out.

Riya smiled. "Really? Who's the lucky boy?"

"Lucky boy? Seriously, Riya?"

"Do I know him?"

"How the Hades do I know? Probably, he's really famous. It's Percy Jackson."

"The son of Poseidon? The guy with sea-green eyes who's really cute and…"

"Riya!"

She grinned. "Sorry, just teasing you."

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't. I… well, I'm not exactly comfortable with my sexuality."

"Fine. No problem. Do you really hate his girlfriend? Annabeth?"

Nico stared at the daughter of Thanatos. "Why are you not freaking out?"

"Should I?" Riya asked.

"Well yeah! I just admitted that I'm gay! The retarded son of Hades! Oh, by the way, feel free to call me a freak and throw me at a wall now. That's what my incredibly supportive dad did, when he found out from the biggest jerk in the world. I'm talking about Cupid, though my dad is a close second." Nico ranted.

"Whoa, calm down Nico. I'm sorry. Is that… did Hades really do that?"

"Yup. The conversation went something along the lines of, 'How could you shame me like this, you stupid, weak, foolish freak! Here, I'll just strangle you and throw you at a wall, and then kick you till you fall unconscious! Because you're gay, even though you can't control your retarded feelings!' Great idea, dad. Feeling the love here." Nico was pacing up and down his room now.

"Oh gods. That, is the most horrible thing I've ever heard. I thought my mom was a bitch, but your dad is worse."

"Oh cheers."

Riya grinned and put a hand on Nico's shoulder. He didn't pull away.

"Well, you won't be alone now. I'll stick around with you."

**A/N: Aw, I really like Riya. She's based of a friend of mine and Akela's. Personality-wise, I mean. I doubt anyone really has golden eyes. :P **

**Review! I really appreciate it!**


	3. What's your life like?

**A/N: It's Anjana here, but Akela's sitting right next to me, poking me. (Don't punch me Akela!)**

**Anyways, a new chapter! **

"So, have you told anyone else?" Riya asked, over breakfast the next day.

Nico had wanted to skip breakfast, but Riya made pancakes and forced Nico to eat them. He agreed on one condition. That they were coloured blue.

"Huh? About what?" Nico asked, digging into the pancakes. He wouldn't admit it, but they were great.

"About your crush on Percy."

"What? No! Well, kind of. During the last war, we had to retrieve a scepter from Cupid. Me and another demigod. Jason Grace, son of Jupiter. Heard of him?"

"Um, the blond guy with blue eyes?" Riya asked.

"Yeah, that one. Cupid forced me to admit my feelings in front of Jason. I… well I wasn't happy about it. Jason kept trying to make me tell Percy. I can't. Percy considers me a friend, at least. That's not what I want, but if I tell him, I'll lose that too."

Riya shook her head. "Percy's probably beating himself up."

"I guess. I'm really sorry I have to do that to him, but I can't face him. It's just…"

"I get it." Riya said softly. "I can't pretend to understand, but I get what your feeling."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

There was silence, then Nico asked.

"What was your life like?"

Riya smiled sadly. "Confusing."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Sure. I… my mom was a bitch, like I said. She used to drink and when she came back home all drunk, I couldn't bear it. Thinking that she was my mother." Riya shivered, her golden eyes got a haunted look in them.

"Did she hurt you?" Nico asked quietly.

Riya looked at him quizzically, then nodded. "Sometimes. She died when I was 9 years old. I didn't know what was happening. None of the foster families wanted me, they were too scared. There had been cases where I'd almost killed people."

"What? How?" Nico asked.

"I have this power. When I sing, people fall into something called a death trance. It's like a deep sleep. A coma. If they listen to me for too long, they die. So no one wanted to take care of me. Apparently, they were going to send me to some orphanage, but then my dad, Thanatos, brought me to his palace in the underworld. He put me into a death trance."

"For how long?"

"7 years. He woke me up a year ago. Trained me to fight and survive. Taught me how to throw knives." Riya pulled out a knife from a hidden pocket in her jacket and twirled it expertly. "Then he told me about the camps and said that I could go there. But I can't. I'll kill someone. So I left the underworld and I've been living on the streets since then. I'm 16 now, nearly 17."

"Wow." Nico said. "I thought my life was confusing. Yours tops it."

"Why? What happened?"

Nico sighed, and began recounting his life. He explained the parts that he didn't remember because he'd been dipped in the Lethe. He described the Lotus Casino. Put into words all his stupid thoughts and feelings about Percy.

"After I left my dad's palace I've just been living here. Persephone got me this apartment. It's been 2 years since I left the camps. I'm 17 now."

"Oh." Riya said. "I… that's… I'm so sorry. Do you really miss your sisters?"

_Sisters_, Nico thought. First it was only one sister, Bianca. Now I've lost Hazel too.

"Yeah. Kind of. A lot, really. Bianca… well, I've accepted her death. It was 7 years ago, so I'm fine now. But Hazel, I chose to leave her. For my own life. I feel so guilty, thinking about it, but I just can't face Percy and Annabeth again. I'm never going back."

"That's why…"

"That's why I got you here." Nico said. "I missed Hazel, and you reminded me of her."

"Oh. So I'm your replacement for Hazel?" Riya asked.

"No! No, not like that, I just…"

"Hey, that's cool. I've always wanted a brother."

Nico smiled with relief and happiness. "So I've got a new sister now? Wow, I seem to be collecting them. Bianca, Hazel, Riya… You'll like Hazel. She's really nice. Always looks for the best in people." He frowned. "Just like you."

Riya's ears turned red. "I don't…"

"Yes. Yes you do. You're just like Hazel. Just like my sister."

Riya smiled. "Thanks Nico. But I'm not. If you knew…"

"What?" Nico asked.

Riya frowned. "I can't tell you. Please."

"I told you my secret."

"No, I can't. It's just, I'll tell you when I'm ready. Just not now."

Nico looked like he was about to protest, then stopped. "Okay. Sure, whenever you want."

"Thanks." Riya said, then laughed. "Hey, why do you want to have blue pancakes?"

Nico blushed. "It's because… Percy always had blue food."

"Oh." Riya smirked. "Cute."

"Hey, I'm not cute!"

"Yes you are. You're positively adorable."

"I'm the son of Hades!"

"So? I bet Percy doesn't care."

"Riya…"

"Somebody's in love." She said in a sing-song voice.

Nico sighed. "Why did I get you here?"

"Because you were lonely! And you wanted your sister back! And you wanted someone to call you cute and adorable and tease you!"

"Oh great. Is this going to be a regular breakfast conversation?"

"No!" Riya said. "I'll vary the ways in which I annoy you."

"Oh shut up."

"Why?"

"Leave me alone."

"Oh okay." Riya stood up, and the shadows started moving towards her.

"No don't!" Nico shouted. He leapt up and grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

Riya laughed. "I know. Can you wash the dishes?"

"It's my house!"

"So you wash the dishes."

"If I have to." Nico sighed, picking up his plate.

"Great. See you in a while!" Riya ran off.

Nico sighed and carried the dishes to the sink.

"Can I have the bedroom next to yours?"

Nico jumped and spun around to see Riya standing there.

"Yeah, sure. Just, can you walk towards me next time? Not shadow-travel." He said.

"Oh sure." She stepped into the shadow of the table and vanished.

Nico sighed and turned back to the sink, a small smile on his lips.

**A/N: I'm drowning in cuteness. Okay, review and tell me (us, whatever Akela. I bet the readers don't care) how this is. Good, bad, cute, fluffy, sad, sweet, awesome (really?), terrible, okay-ish?**


	4. My brother

**A/N: It's Akela here! Anjana is missing because she's got a piano exam, so I can write in peace! Anjana's my best friend and all, but she's a bit too cheerful. It's weird.**

**Anyways, here's an update! **

The next morning, Nico was woken up by the sound of Riya's voice.

He was going to yell at her and ask her to shut up, when he realized that she was _singing_. In Greek.

Slowly, he got out of bed and walked over to the room that Riya had claimed for herself. He pushed open the ght

"Riya? What?"

She stopped. Nico peered into her room. She was sitting on her bed, her eyes wide open in terror.

"Oh gods, Nico please tell me you didn't hear that. This can't happen, not after last time. No, Nico! Say something! Are you feeling tired?" She asked, rushing towards him and grabbing his shoulders.

Nico blinked. "Well, you woke me up, so I'm kind of still sleepy, but otherwise I'm fine."

She sighed. "Oh thank god. Maybe it doesn't work on children of death."

"What? Oh, is this the thing where you sing and it can kill people?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I… I was scared that I might have killed you." Her body was shaking.

Nico felt awkward. Riya seemed terrified, and he didn't know how to comfort her. On impulse, he reached out and hugged her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging onto him. He could still feel her shaking.

"It's okay. I'm fine." He whispered.

"Yeah, I know, it's just… I'm being stupid. It doesn't work on you. It's fine." She muttered.

Slowly, she pulled away. "Thanks, I'm fine."

"What happened? I mean, you said, 'Not after last time.' Did something happen, because of your powers?"

Riya looked down. "I… I killed someone."

Nico felt as though his voice had deserted him. He opened his mouth, but couldn't get any words out.

"It wasn't just anyone." Riya went on. "It was my half-brother. From my mom's side. He wasn't a demigod, just a regular 5 year old kid, the most happy-go-lucky kid ever. I was just singing, I didn't realize. I went to find him and he was just… dead." She broke down into sobs again.

"It's…" Nico didn't say _It's okay_, because he knew, and he understood that it wasn't okay.

"It's fine now, I'm here for you." He said softly. The son of Hades comforting someone? Wow.

Riya nodded, wiping away tears. "Why am I staying with you, Nico?"

"What?"

"You said I remind you of Hazel. Your eyes. They're beautiful, really. Deep brown. The same colour as my brother's. I couldn't close them. After I killed him, I tried to close his eyes, but I couldn't!"

"I…"

Riya caught Nico's shoulders, looking up into his eyes. For a second, she seemed so innocently young. Not the 16 year old that she was. The young girl that she had been, before her father had brought her into the world of the Greek gods.

"Will you be my brother?" she asked, her voice sounding sad, but childish.

"Of course." Nico said. "Promise you won't leave me? I can't have anyone I care about…"

She smiled. "Of course." Then she looked down at him. "Go and put on a shirt, bro."

Nico looked down at his bare chest and blushed. "Sorry, I…"

"Yeah, whatever. And knock next time you come into my room."

"Oh sure, I just…"

"Now get out."

Nico walked out. What else could he do? Riya always got the last word.

Breakfast that morning was fried eggs and toast. Riya was a great cook.

"How did you learn all this?" Nico asked, his mouth full.

"I kind of taught myself. My mother would never cook, so I just had to cook myself." Riya said, her ears turning red again.

"Oh. It's amazing, by the way. The only other person I know who's this good a cook is…" he trailed off, looking embarrassed.

"Who?"

"Um, Percy's mother. Sally Jackson. Well, I suppose she's Sally Blofis now, but…"

"Blowfish?" Riya asked, laughing.

Nico laughed too. "Percy's step-father, Paul Blofis. Not Blowfish."

Riya smiled. "You really like Percy, huh? How long have you had a crush on him?"

If anyone else had asked him this question, Nico would have clammed up and scowled and glared. But with Riya it felt easy, comfortable.

"7 years now." Nico sighed.

"Wow. Wish someone loved me that much. Don't beat yourself up over Percy. He's… is there anyone who's single and not in love with Percy?"

Nico laughed. "True."

"Anyways, I want to go shopping today. Not regular shopping. I want to get some stuff for my room. Want to come?" Riya offered.

"Nah, I'll pass. Shopping isn't my thing."

Riya smirked. "I admit, the regular shopping is dead boring. But my kind of shopping isn't."

Nico was intrigued, in spite of himself. "What do you mean?"

"Come and see."

**A/N: So we'll be elaborating on Riya's character now. She's going to slowly get Nico to open up. Nice, isn't she?**

**REVIEW! Please. We'll reply to all your reviews. We really need the encouragement. There are so many views, and just one review. **

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